As Black and Gold Week concluded, Dr. Lawrence “Larry” Mamiya, a 1960 McKinley graduate, was posthumously inducted as the 2025 Hall of Honor recipient during the Hall of Honor Assembly. Mamiya passed away in 2019 and his wife of 50 years, May Lawson Mamiya, accepted the award on his behalf.
Established in 1986, the Hall of Honor celebrates alumni who have excelled in their careers and made significant contributions to the community. Held in the final week of January, this tradition honors the legacy of President William McKinley and fosters unity within the McKinley High School community. Past inductees include former Senate President Pro Tempore Daniel K. Inouye, Olympic gold medalist Duke Kahanamoku and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.
A professor of Religion and Africana Studies at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York for nearly 40 years, Mamiya co-authored The Black Church in the African American Experience, a landmark study examining the role of Black churches in shaping African American identity, politics and culture. The book earned the 1990 Distinguished Book Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.
“In a time of political polarization and unrest, where issues that impact us all surround us, I believe we a
ll need to learn from Larry’s example—learning how to listen to one another,” Lawson Mamiya said in her speech to the student body.
Raised in a family of five children, Mamiya lost his father during his junior year of high school. Despite emotional and financial hardships, he found guidance through Makiki Christian Church and remained dedicated to his education, graduating as an honor student. He became the first recipient of the Miles E. Carey Scholarship, which continues to support students pursuing higher education today. He later attended the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, where his commitment to activism deepened.
In 1965, Mamiya volunteered with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and participated in a voter registration project in southwest Georgia. During this time, he joined an effort to integrate a segregated state park where the swimming pool was restricted to white patrons. The protest escalated into a riot, during which he was shot at and subjected to racial slurs. Despite the violence, Mamiya remained committed to advocating for civil rights.
The following year, Mamiya interned at a Methodist church in San Francisco, where he became a youth minister and organized a group for Black and Latino teens. His advocacy later expanded to LGBTQ+ rights, promoting inclusion and equality in both religious and academic spaces.
At Vassar College, Mamiya cultivated a learning environment that emphasized the exchange of perspectives. Through initiatives like the Green Haven Prerelease Program, he connected
Vassar students with incarcerated individuals who were soon to be released, helping them prepare for reintegration into society. The program offered academic support and provided an opportunity for mutual learning.
In a video tribute during the assembly, one of his former students, poet and activist Karla Brundage, shared how Mamiya’s mentorship encouraged her to engage with challenging ideas and embrace diverse perspectives.
“He always demanded the best of me and all his students,” Brundage said. “He encouraged us to try and find a way to reconcile [with] different belief systems, making us read both the Bible and the Quran.”
Brundage credited Mamiya for encouraging her creativity, maintaining contact after her graduation and even inviting her back to Vassar to present to new students after publishing her first book. “He was a groundbreaking professor, and I’ll never forget him,” she said.
Marlon Peterson, who met Mamiya while incarcerated at Otisville Prison, also shared in a virtual tribute how their connection through a transitional service center program grew into a meaningful mentorship. Peterson highlighted how Mamiya’s belief in human potential guided him through a challenging time in his life.
“He believed in the connective tissue of human possibility and capacity,” he said. “I’m happy to be part of Larry’s legendary legacy.”
Following the tributes, McKinley’s Jazz Band performed “Gospel John” composed by Maynard Ferguson.
Marion Higa (c/o 1960) Hawaii’s first female state auditor, reflected on her time as Mamiya’s peer, recalling his quiet strength and unwavering principles. A 1994 Hall of Honor inductee, Higa also shared with the student body about the importance of perseverance and breaking barriers.
“Larry was one of those quiet people who got overlooked sometimes but was always the one you could count on,” Higa said. “For the girls in the audience, strive all the time. There’s nothing to stop you. To the males in our audience, don’t get in our way.”
The assembly concluded with the student body singing Lift Every Voice and Sing, written by James Weldon Johnson—an anthem of the civil rights movement that honors resilience and unity. As part of the tribute, Lawson Mamiya ended her speech reflecting on her husband’s journey, emphasizing the importance of embracing new opportunities.
“Shore up your courage, curiosity and aloha. And set out on a grand journey filled with adventure, just as Lawrence Mamiya did,” May Lawson Mamiya said.
